National collection week for Operation Christmas Child (OCC) shoeboxes has come and gone, but it’s not too late to make a global impact.
Collection week ran from November 16-22, 2020. While churches and organizations are no longer accepting physically packed shoeboxes, anyone interested can still pack a box online.
Due to the pandemic, CHVN ran the Operation Christmas Child Shoebox Drive from November 19, 20, and 21 from the studio, rather than St. Vital Centre food court as they have in previous years.
The total number of shoeboxes packed online with CHVN was 200 by the third day of the shoebox drive. Anyone interested can still go to the website and pack a box for a child online until December 31, 2020.
When packing online, once the giver has chosen a boy or girl and the age range, Samaritans Purse will fill the box with the needed items and a list for the giver to see.
There are extra item options that people can include, as well as a note for the child receiving it and a family photo. Shipping costs are covered and people filling out the box can also include the 12-week program called The Greatest Journey for kids to be involved in.
"We hear from children and their families who receive the shoeboxes how meaningful the photo and personal message are," said Fred Weiss, executive director of Samaritan’s Purse Canada. "They share how the photos, messages, and the gifts gave them hope and reminded them they were not forgotten—that someone is thinking about them and praying for them."
In 2019, 12,000 shoeboxes were packed online across Canada. Up until this point, Canadians have packed 22,000 shoeboxes, far exceeding the previous year.
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